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This Week in Space (Video)

TWiT 10 Episodes Sep 18, 2026

This Week in Space covers the latest developments in space exploration, astronomy, and the commercial space industry. Hosted by Rod Pyle, editor-in-chief of Ad Astra magazine, and Tariq Malik, managing editor of Space.com, the show discusses everything from rocket launches to cosmic discoveries. New episodes are released every Friday.

Episodes

TWiS 228: What's a HOTOL? - Britain in Space Sep 18, 2026 58:27 In the 1980s, as the US space shuttle was just starting operations, the UK embarked on an ambitious project called HOTOL—short for Horizontal Take Off and Landing, a radical, air-breathing spaceplane design. Poilitical and funding shifts in the UK ultimately derailed the project, despite the promising technologies it pioneered. The idea was later restarted as Skylon, with key individuals and refi

TWiS 227: TrekMania - Michael Okuda Talks LCARS, Easter Eggs, and Sci-Fi Innovation Sep 11, 2026 1:09:18 Hold onto your phasers, but it's been 60 years since Star Trek's debut, and the franchise is still going strong. For 40 of those years, Mike Okuda, working with a gifted team that included his wife Denise, has been central to the look, feel, and substance of the Star Trek universe. From the LCARS computer graphical system to alien languages to the designs and color schemes, and even the digital e

TWiS 226: Who Owns the Moon? - Capitalism and Property Rights in Space Sep 4, 2026 1:13:19 Capitalism—and a strong profit motivation—has driven enterprise for centuries. Two notable examples are the East India Company and the US transcontinental railroad, and the various tycoons who built it. In neither case, by today's standards, were the operations fair or ethical on a number of fronts. Can we do better in space? Dr. Rainer Zitelmann joins us to discuss capitalism and the importance

TWiS 225: Get a Grip! - New Technologies for Orbital Salvage Aug 28, 2026 1:00:25 The mitigation of orbital debris is an increasingly serious problem that has not gotten enough attention, but this is changing. Commercial companies are addressing orbital debris, and one of them, KMI Space, has flown its experiments aboard the International Space Station, performing over 170 individual rendezvous-and-grab operations. The results are very promising, and the company is moving ahea

TWiS 224: The Science of Artemis - What We'll Do on the Moon Aug 21, 2026 59:47 It has been said that the Moon is a harsh mistress, and nowhere is this more apparent than at the lunar south pole. That is, however, where the Artemis program is headed, and we need to figure out how to best explore the region. Dr. David Kring of the Universities Space Research Association's Lunar and Planetary Institute joins us to explore the where, whys, and hows of the Artemis Program's luna

TWiS 223: The Lunar Domain - Our Future on the Moon with Dr. Scott Pace Aug 14, 2026 1:05:04 We're headed for a space renaissance, and it will be focused on the Moon. The US, China, and international partners of both are vying to land people there and construct a permanent lunar base. Meanwhile, NASA is evolving to embrace commercial enterprise unlike any time in its past, and American lunar efforts are lagging. What are the stakes? Does it matter who returns humans there first? What doe

TWiS 222: How to Invade Earth in 22 Easy Steps - With Rich Edwards Aug 7, 2026 1:08:07 We've all seen the movies... the aliens come to Earth, the aliens overcome the inferior humans, and the aliens fall prey to something dumb they overlooked, like microbes, Windows 95, or most absurdly, water. From the 1950s through yesterday, some of the best movies we've seen were about the invasion of our planet. They can be clever, scary, or even downright dumb, but they are all fun. Veteran sp

TWiS 221: Starship Can Float? - Roman Space Telescope Ready to Launch! Jul 31, 2026 57:01 Rod Pyle is out this week, so Rick Jenet of the National Space Society joins Tariq Malik this week to talk about SpaceX's Starship Flight 13, which deployed new Starlink V3 satellites and stunned viewers when the ship survived reentry intact enough to float in the ocean for days afterward. They also discuss NASA's Roman Space Telescope, now just a month from launch, and an in-progress emergency e

TWiS 220: First on Mars - The 50th Anniversary of Viking 1 Jul 24, 2026 1:16:43 This week, we cover how Starship Flight 13 finally prepares to launch amid a legal battle over SpaceX's proposed land swap at Starbase, plus a Chinese Long March 3B rocket gets struck by lightning during liftoff, yet still delivers its satellite safely. Then, guests Dr. Pascal Lee and astrobiologist Dr. Penny Boston join the show to mark the 50th anniversary of Viking 1's landing on Mars and revi

TWiS 219: SpaceX Goes to War! - And Other Space Headlines Jul 17, 2026 1:13:22 This week we're jumping into the space headlines for the past few weeks. It's been busy, and some exciting things are happening! A couple of companies are moving into the space solar power arena--something we've long advocated--and that's welcome progress. Starship is set to fly Starship test number 13, and a lot is riding on this--the system is overdue for some proof of concept to keep up with N

This Week in Space (Video)

Episodes

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